A young boy wakes to find his mother missing. Outside, he sees her favourite scarf - wrapped around the neck of a snowman. Detective Harry Hole soon discovers that an alarming number of wives and mothers have gone missing over the years. When a second woman disappears, Harry's worst suspicion is confirmed: a serial killer is operating on his home turf. SOON THE FIRST SNOW WILL COME AND THEN HE WILL APPEAR AGAIN AND WHEN THE SNOW HAS GONE HE WILL HAVE TAKEN SOMEONE ELSE...